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Buhari Vows To Help The Poor With $320m Abacha Loot

The Federal Government has announced that $320m stolen funds by former late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, would be spent on the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme of the administration to support the poor.

Declaring open the Eighth Commonwealth Conference of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday in Abuja, the President, represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said it was one condition given by the Switzerland authorities for the repatriation of the funds.

Buhari said that The Global Forum on Asset Recovery, after its inaugural meeting in Washington, DC, in December 2017, had facilitated efforts toward asset recovery and return.

“The GFAR saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the Government of Switzerland for the return of an additional $320m of the Sani Abacha loot.

“Included in that agreement is the commitment that the funds would be invested in one of Nigeria’s flagship social investment programmes, the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme targeted at the poorest and most vulnerable households in our country.’’

Buruji Kashamu Enters Ogun PDP Guber Race

The senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the national assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has replaced Adeleke Shittu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of next year’s elections in the state.

It was learnt that Shittu whose name was pasted alongside other governorship candidates of 38 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), “voluntarily withdrew” from the race for Kashamu.

Shittu had emerged the governorship candidate of PDP from the primary conducted by Bayo Dayo-faction in the State.

The other faction of PDP headed by Sikirullahi Ogundele had equally presented Hon Oladipopu Adebutu as the party’s governorship candidate, but the electoral umpire accepted the list submitted by Dayo faction.

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APC Wins Kwara Bye-Election

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Raheem Olawuyi, was on Saturday declared the winner of the Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency bye-election held across the four councils in Kwara State.

The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Abimbola Adesoji, while declaring the result at the Irepodun Local Government Secretariat in Omu-Aran, said Olawuyi polled 21,236 to emerge the winner.

He defeated his closest rival, Saheed Damilare of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 18,095.

Abimbola, who is of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, said Olawuyi having scored the highest number of votes in the election was declared the winner.

Other contestants in the election were Femi Ona-Ara of Labour Party, Ajadi Olayemi of Peoples Party of Nigeria as well as Olaniyan Ayorinde of Unity Party of Nigeria.

Abimbola gave the total number of total registered voters as collated as 168,707; accredited voters as 41,185; total valid votes as 39,599; total number of rejected votes as 1,331; and the total number of votes cast as 40,930.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some cancellations arising from snatching of ballot boxes and over voting were reportedly experienced in three polling units in Irepodun Local Government Area.

The affected units as listed by the Presiding Officer in charge of the council included Registration Area 02 of Esie-Ijan Ward, where two ballot boxes were reportedly snatched and 955 number of registered voters lost.

Other areas were Oro Ward 1 RA 02, Polling Unit 01, where a case of ballot snatching was recorded and a total of 297 registered voters were affected and over voting in Oro Ward 2 RA 10 Polling Unit 01 with 474 registered votes lost.

Election cancellation was also recorded in Ile Apaasin RA 04 Polling Unit in Isin Local Government where only 59 voters were accredited but turned in 377 votes.

Some Independent National Electoral Officers were confirmed to have been attacked and had wounds in the process.

NAN reports that the declaration of the results was witnessed by notable officials that included the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Fafowora; the Resident Electoral Commissioner from Kwara State, Malam Garuba Madami; as well as his Imo and Lagos States counterparts, Emeka Nzeonu and Sam Olumeko respectively.

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A Presidential Reconciliatory Committee, Saturday, held a closed-door meeting with the aggrieved candidates of the All Progressives Congress loyal to the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in Abeokuta.

The three-man committee, headed by a Zonal Coordinator of the committee, Sandra Oladele met with all the 26 candidates who were declared winners of the October 7 legislative Primary by the National Working Committee but had their names replaced.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the state Chairman of the Party, Chief Derin Adebiyi, said the only solution to the crisis is for the National Working Committee to return their alleged stolen mandates.

Adebiyi, who was represented by Ogun Central Chairman of the party, Chief Yomi Ademefun, read the group’s long list of demands for peace.

He said the NWC must “Declare the primary election that produced Hon. Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade that took place across Ogun State on October 2 as the authentic APC governorship candidate.

“Declare the result of the State Assembly election that took place in Ogun State, October 7th, that produced the 26 State house of Assembly candidates as authentic APC candidates.

“Submit the names of Hon. Abdulkadir Adekunle who won the 2nd October governorship primary to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Submit the names of 26 Ogun State House of Assembly candidates that won the October 7 primary election as announced by the National Working Committee